Dunes Alternative High School

Dunes Alternative High School is one of the tiny high schools in HOLLAND, Michigan, run under West Ottawa Public School District, with 81 students on its rolls from grades 9 through 12. Compared to the state average of about 460 students per school, that is 82% leaner than typical.

West Ottawa Public School District comprises 13 schools with combined enrollment of 6,729 students; Dunes Alternative High School is among them.

Looking at the student body, Dunes Alternative High School shows that 56% of the student body identifies as Hispanic. Beyond that, the school reports 27% White, 10% Black, 5% multiracial, 2% Asian. By comparison, Ottawa County as a whole is about 10% Hispanic, so the school skews considerably more Hispanic than its surroundings.

On the resource side, Dunes Alternative High School reports 2 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 36.0:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 21.6:1, putting Dunes Alternative High School higher than the state norm the norm. About 62% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Ottawa County (around 34%), the school's rate is noticeably above typical.

In the surrounding community, census data for Ottawa County shows median household earnings sit near $90,502, roughly 39% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 4%. Dunes Alternative High School is one of 103 public schools in Ottawa County (combined enrollment of about 42,894 students).

The closest other public school is Great Lakes Elementary School, roughly 0.3 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

Dunes Alternative High School operates from a bedroom-community location.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count grew 102%: 40 students in 2018 compared to 81 in 2025. Hispanic enrollment moved from 80% to 56% across the same window.

On the community side, recent activity here tends to focus on school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.